Now
A Few Clouds
82.0°
High
82°
Low
61°
Full Forecast

Coupon

Jobs

Cars

Homes

Rentals

Alerts

Subscribe
Home > News > Local
Bookmark Us   •   Make Us Your Homepage

County OKs funding plan to get land for beltway

Comments 16 comment(s)  
E-mail Story E-mail Story
Print Story Print Story
Share  Share
Text Size: 
Tools Sponsor

By the Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008 - 01:46:42 pm CST

The Lancaster County Board signed off Tuesday on an agreement with the city for the future east beltway project.

In it, the county and the city agree to split the costs of acquiring right of way for the highway project.

If federal or state funds designated for the project should come available, those will be applied first, according to the agreement.

Story Photo

Local officials aren’t anticipating that because decreasing fuel consumption is drying up money for new road construction.

The east beltway is generally located along the 127th Street corridor and is bounded by Interstate 80 to the north and Nebraska 2 to the south. The route sits outside city limits but within the city’s three-mile zoning jurisdiction inside Lancaster County.

After Tuesday’s decision, County Engineer Don Thomas said the project’s timeline and cost are unknown. He did tell commissioners that officials have identified most of the properties needed.

The agreement is awaiting approval on the city’s end.

The beltway projects have been billed as crucial to Lincoln’s future. The system is expected to divert trucks and highway traffic off city streets, saving wear-and-tear on those roadways and reducing accidents and congestion.


$1 Sunday Delivery - Subscribe Today!
Local > Back to Top of Story

Post Your Comment

Standards and Rules
All posts to JournalStar.com are subject to our Terms and Standards.
Your posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.
(optional)
   
Hide Comments Hide Comments   Newest First Newest First  
sadly wrote on January 22, 2008 2:21 pm:
" I don't see this or even the South Beltway happening in my lifetime, and I'm only in my 30's. This was approved in 2001. The South beltway was suppose to be finished within 10 years, it's been 7 years, and virtually nothing has been done. The construction costs are increasing each year, while public money for projects like this decrease each year. The projects are more or less dormant, unless a miracle happens and funding becomes available. I'm not normally this negative, but I just don't see it happening. "
Jess wrote on January 22, 2008 2:34 pm:
" This has been going on for years and years. I will believe it when I actually see my friends get bought out and a beltway go in. Good luck finding the money. "
Needed wrote on January 22, 2008 2:41 pm:
" Things like this need to be done. The traffic in Lincoln is terrible with way too many traffic lights. Traffic flows like molasses because of all the lights. Expressways like they have in Omaha are needed as the city continues to grow. "
Patfan wrote on January 22, 2008 2:47 pm:
" About time they do something. I remember hearing about this project when I moved here in '95. It seriously took this long to figure this out? 12 years, just imagine if private companies were run like that. "
Dano wrote on January 22, 2008 2:49 pm:
" It should be split fairly. It will benefit the entire county which the city resides in, why shouldn't it be supported by both. It is too bad they didn't realize the need sooner and develop it closer to Lincoln, but too late and expensive now. "
get it done! wrote on January 22, 2008 3:24 pm:
" Great idea and the sooner the better!!! "
Gary wrote on January 22, 2008 4:21 pm:
" I am so frustrated with this beltway mess. It has taken far longer than it should have and at some point we need to bring goverment back to what it should be. The confiscation of money to benefit society not offer tons of fantastic benefits to employees stuck in their little job description box. Then we could get roads built. "
Be sure wrote on January 22, 2008 4:28 pm:
" and take land from the people who use it for farming. Don't get close to the people who have a small acreage on the proposed road. I remember when Havelock was being widened from 84th st. east. It was the farmers who lost the land and it was made clear to us to shift the road away from the owners of land who had moved from lincoln to the country. So it ends up that up to 100 ft of row was taken off the farm fields and very little away from the city citizens acreages. Guess who had cleanup first too? I can remember several shifts south to stay off their land. Farmers watch out because don thomas is one of the good ole boys. "
Matt wrote on January 23, 2008 8:26 am:
" First, traffic in Lincoln is NOT that bad. Seriously, if you think so then go visit some other cities. Yes, it will take a little longer to get across Lincoln than say, Norfolk, but there is definitely no need for inner city cross-town freeways like those in Omaha. Secondly, the beltways are designed to for those who are traveling around Lincoln, not into Lincoln. The beltways will take away some pressure from drivers who would otherwise have to go through Lincoln, but are not for everyday commuters on O and 27th St., Cornhusker and Nebraska Hwy., etc. To solve those problems I suggest supporting and marketing better public transit routes. "
Nick wrote on January 23, 2008 9:38 am:
" Duh. Farmland is cheaper than upscale acreages. It's economics not some conspiracy against farmers. "
JR wrote on January 23, 2008 9:41 am:
" This by pas has been needed since I moved here in the late 70's. At that time, I felt 84 st should be made a limited access road, but the city council at that time was dead set against the city spending any money, or taking land off the tax rolls, even if it would help Lincoln in the long run. All they cared about was downtown and keeping their jobs. Well, we all know how that turned out. "
Satisfied in Stinkin' Lincoln wrote on January 23, 2008 10:02 am:
" Really, we should all be happy Lincoln has taken its first step towards fixing its problem: Admitting It Has a Problem. Just the mere acknowledgement that traffic is terrible is a step forward. But I think "sadly" has it right because the time table for this project will certainly not be nearly as fast as the Expressway in Omaha. Let's face it, Stinkin' Lincoln will never live up to Omaha. "
Soylent Green wrote on January 23, 2008 10:15 am:
" This project should have been done 20 years ago when it could have made more od a difference and been built closer to Lincoln. Land was cheaper back then too... Don't forget to include enough land to include a bike/hike trail along the route. Without that you are just shooting off the other foot... "
NIMBY wrote on January 23, 2008 11:43 am:
" It looks like the plan also got pushed further east due to the whining from Hillcrest Country Club. I was a member of Hillcrest years ago, when they tried to get us all stirred up in opposition to the beltway. I basically said that if LCC members could live with 27th Street lining their fairways, we could surely tolerate a beltway half a mile away. But the whiners will always get their way, while others will have to make way for progress. "
DR wrote on January 23, 2008 12:12 pm:
" Great idea. Lets keep people out of Lincoln give them a way to drive around us and not spend money here. "
whatever wrote on January 23, 2008 6:15 pm:
" Ok, aren't we entering at least our second decade of talking about this Beltway? Maybe this is a blessing in disguise, I suspect that the use of the automobile will be greatly curtailed over the next 10 years precluding the need for a beltway. Actually I saw projections today that oil prices will likely be around 300 dollars per barrel in about 12 years. The dark side of the "oil debate" was once left to those deemed as "intellectually out to lunch", the mainstream media now chants this same mantra. You can take it to the bank with 9 to 12 buck gas that most people won't be driving and that mass transit will be in vogue. "

Ads by Yahoo!